In response to the video posted here and on other websites yesterday shows Sydney Australia police brutally arresting and physically abusing 18-year-old Jamie Jackson at Sydney’s Gay Mardi Gras, Sydney’s Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch has released information that the reason for Jacksons arrest stemmed from the fact that he used “offensive language”

“Mr Murdoch told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the initial offence that led police to apprehend Mr Jackson was for offensive language. Mr Jackson was then charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest as a result of his interaction with the Fairfield officer and he will appear in court on April 1.

The state MP and gay rights campaigner, Alex Greenwich, said it was very concerning that a large police officer ‘‘body slammed’’ a teenage boy for swearing.

‘‘If the only thing that the individual did was use offensive language, then I think many would agree that the approach the police took to the situation and the body slam on the ground is certainly a heavy-handed approach to the matter,’’ he said.

…Mr Greenwich and the Mardi Gras board will meet with the Police Minister, Michael Gallacher, and the chair of this year’s Mardi Gras, Peter Urmson, said: “We’re not gonna let this get swept under the carpet”.

Mr Murdoch said the officer from Fairfield was still on duty pending an internal investigation.

Also troubling is the arresting officer’s order to the person filming to stop.”

In a report of a second police brutality gay activist Bryn Hutchinson said up to five police held him down and kicked him, after he ignored their instructions to not cross a road.

“I was kicked several times,” said Mr Hutchinson, the former convenor of Community Action Against Homophobia. “I was handcuffed and had my face pushed into the ground.

“I had a police officer leaning on me. I told him I couldn’t breathe. He said, ’If you can talk, you can breathe”.

Sydney LGBT activist groups are planning a march this Friday night and demanding an independent inquiry. Since yesterday more than 1500 people have responded to the march’s page on Facebook.

You can watch the video of this heinous brutality against Jamie Jackson by the Sydney Police by CLICKING HERE

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Will Kohler is one of America's well known LGBT historians, He is also a a accredited journalist and the owner of Back2Stonewall.com.
A longtime gay activist Will fought on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic with ACT-UP and continues fighting today for LGBT acceptance and full equality.
Will’s work has been referenced in notable media venues as BBC News, CNN, MSNBC, The Washington Post, The Daily Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Reporter, and Raw Story,
Mr. Kohler is available for comment, interviews and lectures on LGBT History.
Contact: Will@Back2Stonewall.com